Antisplash shield



May 23, 1950 E. M. WARMAN ANTISPLASH SHIELD Filed Nov. 3, 1947 3noentor wavy attorneys Patented May 23, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Elsabeth M. Warman, Detroit, Mich.

Application November 3, 1947, Serial No. 783,720

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to shielding devices and in particular to anti-splashshields.

One object of this invention is to provide an anti-splash shield which is quickly and easily applied to a liquid receptacle such as a sink, wash-bowl, washing machine, bathtub, wash-tray or the like.

Another object is to provide an anti-splash shield of flexible material such as flexible sheet plastic material which can be bent so that it follows the outline curvature of the liquid receptacle to which it is attached, and which when not in use can be rolled up compactly and stored in a small space.

Another object is to provide an anti-splash shield having suction cups thereon for rendering it instantly attachable to or detachable from any surface without marring the surface.

Another object is to provide an anti-splash shield of transparent material so that it not only does not shut off the light from reaching the contents of the receptacle to which it is attached but also so that the user can see the contents of the receptacle through the shield.

Another object is to provide an anti-splash shield of flexible material which can be attached either to the outside or the inside of a liquid receptacle or which can also be attached to a wall opening, such as a window sill or frame, to serve as a ventilation shield.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an anti-splash shield according to a preferred form of the invention, as attached to the outside of a liquid receptacle such as a washbowl;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same shield attached to the inside of a liquid receptacle such as a sink;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the anti-splash shield shown in Figures 1 and 2; and

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the anti-splash shield shown in Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figure 1 shows an anti-splash shield generally designated in according to a preferred form of the invention as attached to the outer surface ll of the rim l2 of a, liquid receptacle [3 such as a washbowl. The latter is of conventional construction with the usual bowl l4, faucets l5 and back [6. The anti-splash shield ID consists of an elongated sheet I l of flexible plastic material, preferably transparent, the upper corners being preferably rounded as at l8 to prevent injury to the user.

In order to facilitate attachment of the shield 10 to the receptacle l3, the shield I0 is provided at intervals with suction cups; 1 9 of elastic deformable material's-uch as; rubber or synthetic rubber. The suction cups l9 are provided with or secured to stems. or. fasteners. 2a which pass through spaced holes in the sheet l1,.and are errlarged as at 2! on the oppositeside. Thersuction cups 19 are mounted: ata. sufficient distance above the bottom edge 22 of the sheet I! to provide an adequate leverage to counteract any force which may be exerted against the upper edge 23 of the sheet [1, whether inward or outward. The suction cups l9 extend at intervals horizontally across the shield ill from points adjacent the opposite side edges 24 thereof.

In the use of the invention, to prevent liquids from splashing outside the washbowl [3, the antisplash shield I0 is preferably secured to the outside of the washbowl [3. This is most satisfactorily done by first applying the most centrally located suction cups l 9 to the approximate center of the washbowl rim II at the front thereof and thereafter pressing the suction cups against the rim one by one, working outward toward the side edges 24 from the center. In this way, the shield I0 is fitted snugly against the rim 1 l without bulging. The anti-splash shield I0 is removed by reversing the foregoing procedure, namely by pulling outward on the ends of the shield adjacent the side edges 24 and working toward the central suction cups I9, removing the outer suction cups first and the central cups last.

In most instances it is most convenient to apply the shield to the inside of the receptacle rather than to the outside, such as in the case of a washing machine, or tub, or as shown in Figure 2, to a sink 25. The latter has a rim or apron 26 surrounding the bowl 2! of the sink and terminating at the back board 28. The sink 25, like the wash bowl I3, is provided with valves 29 mounted on a hollow support 30 and controlling the flow of liquid from supply conduits (not shown) to a common spout 3|.

In the use of the shield l0 on the inside of a receptacle, such as the sink 25, the attachment follows much the same procedure as in Figure 1. The approximate midpoint of the shield is aligned with the approximate midpoint of the front of the bowl 2'! and the central suction cups pressed against the inside of the sink. In so attaching the shield l0, it is of course necessary that the suction cups I9 face outward rather than inward as in Figure 1. Starting with the central suction cups l9, the user works outward from the midpoint of the shield I0 and bends the shield when he comes to the corners 32 of the bowl 21. The suction cups adjacent the side edges 24 are applied last. To detach the shield Hi, the procedure is reversed, as in the case of Figure 1, by first detaching the suction cups 19 adjacent the side edges 24, and thereafter working toward the midpoint of the shield i0.

While the invention has been described as constructed of transparent flexible material such as transparent synthetic plastic, it is preferably constructed from colored flexible material, such as colored synthetic plastic, either translucent or opaque, the device being very attractive in appearance if made up in pastel shades. While rubber or synthetic rubber may be used as the flexible material, it is less preferable because of its lack of stiffness and its less attractive appearance as well as its opaque nature which prevents light from passing through it.

What I claim is: I

1. An anti-splash shield for receptacles comprising an elongated relatively stiif self-sustaining sheet of flexible synthetic plastic material bendable into approximately U-shaped form to at least partially encircle the receptacle and attachment devices secured to and arranged across said sheet at spaced intervals from one side to 4 the other side thereof and spaced away from the bottom edge thereof.

2. An anti-splash shield for receptacles comprising an elongated relatively stiff self-sustaining sheet of translucent flexible synthetic plastic material bendable into approximately U-shaped form to at least partially encircle the receptacle and attachment devices secured to and arranged across said sheet, said attachment devices comprising suction cups of elastic deformable material arranged in a generally horizontal row at spaced intervals at substantial distances above the lower edge thereof.

ELSABETH M. WARMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,131,111 Marsh Sept. 27, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,711 Great Britain Jan. 22, 1912 

